Console assemblies for vehicles are known to include side impact reinforcements. The console assemblies are provided with a support structure to reinforce against a load from a side impact that is transmitted through a seat to the console assembly.
In order to provide side impact reinforcement, the support structure is aligned with a structural component of the seat that transmits the load from the side impact. However, due to modern seat assemblies being adjustable in a vertical direction, the support structure is required to align with the structural component of the vehicle seat at various positions in the vertical direction. The increases in the vertical position of the structural component increase the required height of the support structure and consequently the overall height of the console assembly. The overall height of the console assembly is typically limited to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Therefore, a volume in the vertical direction of a storage compartment of the console assembly is decreased to accommodate the increase in the required height of the support structure without increasing the overall height of the console assembly.
Accordingly, there is a need for a console assembly having a support structure capable of providing side impact reinforcement without increasing the overall height of the console assembly or decreasing the volume, in the vertical direction, of the storage compartment.